Lake Country emergency crews help save man pulled from Wood Lake

The quick-thinking of bystanders appears to have saved the life of a man in his twenties, who lost consciousness and was found, face down in Wood Lake on Monday night.

Lake Country fire crews responded to an emergency call just after 7 p.m. Monday and arrived on the north shore of Wood Lake to take over CPR on the man, who had collapsed into the lake.

“There were quite a few people around the beach and there was a couple that walked down to the lake,” explained Lake Country deputy fire chief Brent Penner. “One of the people went back to their car and when they returned the gentleman was face down in the lake. He wasn’t breathing and didn’t have a pulse.”

Penner said CPR was started immediately on the man by people in the area and the quick action may have saved the man’s life. When fire crews got to the scene a few minutes later, they took over CPR until B.C. Ambulance crews arrived and were able to use a defibulator to revive the man.

He was then taken to hospital and his condition is unknown at this time.

“Someone started CPR right away and you’re not going to have a successful outcome if the blood and oxygen isn’t moving right away,” said Penner. “it’s essential CPR is started right away. It bought us enough time that when the advanced-care paramedics arrived they were able to get a shockable rhythm and get his heart going again.”

Lake Country fire crews were able to quickly respond as the call came during its regular Monday night practice session. Crews immediately jumped into a fire engine and headed to the scene, using the Pelmewash Parkway to quickly get to the north end of Wood Lake.